Japanese Food and Cooking

New Conveyor Belt Sushi Spot Opens in Gilbert

Since Chandler's Sushi Eye in Motion closed last fall, all's been quiet on the kaiten-zushi, or conveyor belt sushi, front -- at least until now. See also: - Postino Owners to Open Joyride Taco House in Gilbert in June - Hot Dogs & Pie: Mamma Toledo's to Open Space Inside New Short Leash Hot Dogs R ... More >>

Ramen Rematch: Republic Ramen vs. Sushi Ken

When you've had ramen done right, you just know. It's a shame it's even referred to by the same name as its Styrofoam cup counterpart. The base is always a flavorful, unique broth with an extra boost from added traditional Japanese veggies like seaweed (Japan's bay leaf) and kamaboko. All that's pou ... More >>

Nightmare Fuel: Ramen Ice Cream Is A Real Thing

As Wake Up Call has frequently highlighted, the Japanese and Asia on the whole are fearless culinary travelers, nomnauts if you will. But even by the most generous of standards, miso ramen flavored ice cream is pretty strange and apparently not exactly delicious. See Also: --Wendy's Japan Presents ... More >>

See, We Told You Rice Cakes Are Dangerous

As was noted in a previous story, one of the most hazardous parts of the holiday season for Japanese are the days directly after New Years when pounded rice cakes known as mochi are consumed in great quantities. The Tokyo Fire Department is reported to have transported more than 17 people to the hos ... More >>

Pork Belly and Chawanmushi for Bento Box Brunch at Nobuo at Teeter House

Welcome to Brunched, where Chow Bella samples local restaurants' offerings for our favorite meal. Hey, you get to sleep in and eat breakfast -- what's not to like? See also: Clove-Scented Ham and Baked Pancakes at Wy-Knot Cafe See also: Frescas and Pozole at Distrito What: Nobuo at Teeter House Wh ... More >>

Josh Hebert Makes Japanese Street Food for Late-Night Dining at Posh

See also: Posh Chef Josh Hebert to Host Traditional Japanese Sake Dinner Josh Hebert, chef-owner of Posh Improvisational Cuisine knows more about Japanese street food than the average gaijin. After all, he's a chef (which means he pays attention), and he lived in Tokyo for a year, eating his way th ... More >>

Lay Waste to the Forces of Hunger With the Sushi Bazooka

See Also: We Welcome Our (Sushi) Robot Overlords See Also: Watch This: The Story of Sushi Making sushi is hard and time consuming. There's the monumental amount of prep work, the difficulty in making tender sushi rice, the actual hassle of rolling the sushi by hand. Professional sushi chefs use a " ... More >>

AndyTalk: Sushi for Dessert

Whether it's a feint by a quarterback, an improvised musical riff, or a magic trick, everyone appreciates a good fake-out -- especially when the end result is a success. The first time I served sushi for dessert I had a goal. Actually, I had two goals: First, make a great dessert and, second, make m ... More >>

Round Two with Lori Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery

Lori Hashimoto Hana Japanese Eatery 5524 N. Seventh Avenue 602-973-1238 www.hanajapaneseeatery.com This is part two of my interview with Lori Hashimoto, co-owner and sushi chef at Hana Japanese Eatery. In case you missed it, part one ran yesterday. Favorite Metro Phoenix restaurants other than yo ... More >>

Hana's Lori Hashimoto Dishes on Brazilian Lobster, Magic Knives and Keeping It All in the Family

Lori Hashimoto Hana Japanese Eatery 5542 N. Seventh Avenue 602-973-1238 www.hanajapaneseeatery.com This is part one of my interview with Lori Hashimoto, co-owner and sushi chef of Hana Japanese Eatery. Part two of the interview will run in this space tomorrow. To understand Lori Hashimoto, you m ... More >>

Sushi Station at Desert Ridge Has Decent Sushi at a Great Price

When a new spot opens in town, we can't wait to check it out -- and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that have just opened, sampling a few item ... More >>

We Welcome Our (Sushi) Robot Overlords

First cupcake ATMs, now a small army of sushi making machines? If the retro "News of the World" style music doesn't get you then just wait until the 0:40 mark, whoever edited this video wasn't afraid to lay down some funky beats. The sushi making machines featured in this video are the products of ... More >>

Nobuo Will Offer Omakase-Style Bento Brunch!

Chef Nobuo Fukuda, the James Beard winning proprietor of Nobuo at Teeter House, is poised to serve what will probably be the classiest bento boxes the Valley has ever seen. An email sent last week promises a $50 Sunday brunch, starting April 15, featuring "Omakase-style bento boxes" and a compliment ... More >>

Watch This: The Story of Sushi

The Story of Sushi from Bamboo Sushi on Vimeo. Clear four minutes of your day and hit play on this amazing little video. The Story of Sushi tells a sad tale of the sushi industry and the future of our oceans if we continue on the same commercial fishing path. Created for Portland's Bamboo Sushi, ... More >>

Top Five Japanese Restaurants in Phoenix

Jamie PeacheyCherryblossom Noodle Cafe.​When many people think about Japanese food they immediately snap their fingers and say, "Oh! You mean like sushi?" They are not wrong of course, but Japanese culinary traditions stretch far beyond raw fish on rice. Luckily for us the Valley is home to so ... More >>

Pearl Sushi Lounge: Chic Ambiance and (Mostly) Flashy Food in Scottsdale

Nobuo Chef Fukuda Joins Chef Jason Alford for Omakase Experience at Roka Akor

Fans of omakase, the expression used at sushi restaurants to leave the menu to the chef, have an opportunity to treat themselves to an early holiday gift thanks to a unique event at Roka Akor in Scottsdale. On Monday, December 12, Roka Akor will bring together chef Nobuo Fukuda, James Beard Award-w ... More >>

Lunch for $10 at Nobuo at Teeter House

Courtesy of Justin Eats​A common misconception seems to be that delcious -- as in, James Beard-award winning delicious -- food will never  be reasonably priced. Not true, and we've got proof! For this week's $10 lunch, we enjoyed the charming digs of the Teeter House at Heritage S ... More >>

Lunch for $10 at Republic Ramen and Noodle Bar

Lauren Saria​Ramen (when it doesn't come in noodle-brick form out of a package from the grocery store) is a Japanese dish made of wheat noodles served in a flavored broth. The dish has been a part of both Chinese and Japanese cultures for decades and thanks to Nissin Foods, in the early 60s it mad ... More >>

Sapporo Scottsdale: Happy Hour Report Card

Nicole Smith Sapporo's Cocunut Water Martini and Passion-Mango Martini induce a high that's worth their high price.​The Spot: Sapporo, 14344 N. Scottsdale Rd., North Scottsdale, 480-607-1114www.sapporoscottsdale.comThe Hours: 11 a.m. - close, Monday through Friday, and 3 p.m. - close, Satur ... More >>

Now Open: Kokoro Sushi & Noodle Bar

​Hooray -- a quick and casual place to get sushi downtown! Kokoro Sushi & Noodle Bar opened last week in the Arizona Center, two doors down form the trendy Brick Pizza and just east of the movie theater.    The cozy space is casual with high top tables and a little sushi bar ... More >>

Roka Akor: Happy Hour Report Card

House infused Shochu with hand cut ice cubes are half priced during Happy Hour at Roka Akor.​The Spot: Roka Akor, 7299 N. Scottsdale, Rd., Scottsdale, 480-306-8800 www.rokaakor.com The Hours: 5-7pm, daily. The Details: Happy Hour pricing is available in the lounge and bar areas onl ... More >>

The Dragon Roll from Stingray Sushi

Erica O'Neil​Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing our 100 Favorite Dishes with you. Now we're back - with the 2011 edition. Have a suggestion for a dish you'd like us to try? Leave it in the comments section or email laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com 82: Th ... More >>

Now Open: ShinBay

​Sushi lovers rejoice, Scottsdale has a brand new sushi joint open just in time for summer. Shinji Kurita, sushi chef and former owner of the now-closed Awhatukee sushi spot, ShinBay, quietly opened the doors of his latest project last Wednesday. Once again named ShinBay, the traditional-styl ... More >>

Sushi 102: Roll a Fat One with The Virgin

​After last week's tragic experiment with burning cooking sushi rice, The Virgin was tempted to give up on the whole sushi making experience. But armed with a few helpful tips, I mastered the rice technique and moved on to the main event. If you're looking to feed picky eaters or ... More >>

Sushi 101: The Virgin Gets Burned by Sticky Rice

Uh-oh. That is not soy sauce.​Most American restaurant foods are easy to replicate at home: grilled cheese, burgers, the classic BLT. Japanese and hybrid-Asian foods are another matter. It might seem simple to toss together some rice, crab, seaweed and avocado to make a basic Californi ... More >>

Salmon Skin Roll: Shimogamo Japanese Restaurant

Flickr- Island Vittles A mound of crispy, fried salmon skin that would put bacon to shame.​Despite what the supermarket aisle may lead you to believe, there's more to an animal than neatly wrapped styrofoam trays of meat. From tongue to tail, offal (pronounced awful) encompasses all those t ... More >>

Lunch $10 and Under at Teharu Sushi

Roe, roe, roe your boat...​Teharu isn't just a sushi bar -- it's an experience. There are few other places in the Valley where you can score five plates of food for under a ten-spot, but that's exactly what we did at Teharu. On our visit the place was packed, and the vibe was decidedly ... More >>

Ikura Nigiri: Fish Eggs from Kanpai Sushi

Erica O'Neil A jewel-tone duo of fish eggs, ikura nigiri from Kanpai Sushi.​Despite what the supermarket aisle may lead you to believe, there's more to an animal than neatly wrapped styrofoam trays of meat. From tongue to tail, offal (pronounced awful) encompasses all those taboo edibles th ... More >>

Chef Shinji Kurita Planning to Reopen Shinbay in Scottsdale

​Fans of Japanese cuisine will surely take heart at the comeback of a local luminary: Chef Shinji Kurita is working on reopening Shinbay, this time in Scottsdale. Since it closed five years ago, Kurita's original Ahwatukee location of Shinbay has become the stuff of legends for its exquisite ... More >>

Coming Soon: Otaku Sushi in Chandler

​It looks like East Valley sushi geeks will be getting a little gift after the New Year -- Otaku Sushi, a restaurant that's currently under construction at 2430 S. Gilbert Rd. in Chandler. The restaurant's name translates to "geek" or "hardcore fan" in modern Japanese sla ... More >>

Wildfish Seafood Grill Hires Sushi Chef

The raw bar at Wildfish Seafood Grille​Already a reliable spot for a good crabcake or a big platter of raw oysters to slurp, now Wildfish Seafood Grill is bringing sushi and sashimi into the mix with the hiring of sushi chef Stephan Martin.It's a natural evolution for the Waterfront restaurant, wh ... More >>

Meeting Rick Moonen, and Other Las Vegas Adventures

​Some friends have asked for a food report on my recent weekend jaunt to Las Vegas, so here you go, foodniks. First off, here's proof (um, not really) that I met chef Rick Moonen, who almost immediately asked me if I do my job anonymously, and later joked that he could make a killin ... More >>

Cherryblossom Noodle Café: Lunch $10 & Under

When we heard about the lunch specials at Cherry Blossom Noodle Café, we had to check it out. Nearly 20 options for less than $10 each on weekdays? Yes please.

Sushi Roku at The W Scottsdale: Lunch $10 & Under

Okay, so you can't really do lunch at Sushi Roku at The W Scottsdale for less than $10, but you can get a lot of bang for your buck with a $10 Express Bento Box, which is nearly a square-foot of Japanese food.

Hiro Sushi: Mouthwatering Sushi From a Neighborhood Mom and Pop

Chef Kazuto "Kaz" Kishino of Hana Japanese Eatery, Kitchen

Born, raised, educated and trained in Japan, Chef Kazuto "Kaz" Kishino, the man running the behind-the-scenes show in the kitchen of Hana Japanese Eatery, is about as old school as it gets in Japanese cooking. Kaz is a man of few words and little English, but Lori Hashimoto plays translator to unvei ... More >>

Chef Rick "Koji" Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery, Sushi Bar

Chef Rick "Koji" Hashimoto rocks and rolls as he prepares sushi at Hana Japanese Eatery, dressed to the nines and showing off his skills. Today, we pick Koji's brain about his sushi technique, the brown bag lunches he couldn't escape, the best bone-removal method and if any deadly catches will be hi ... More >>

Teharu Sushi Just May Be the Fastest Food

Nobuo at Teeter House Proves Izakaya Dreams Really Can Come True in Downtown Phoenix

Stingray Sushi: Happy Hour Report Card

Erica O'Neil Warm sake and cold Sapporo at Stingray Sushi's happy hour.​The Spot: Stingray Sushi, 2502 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, (602) 955-2008, http://www.stingraysushi.com The Hours: Between the hours of 3 and 7 pm, Monday through Friday. The Details: $5 sake bombers, $4 wine by the gla ... More >>

Rockin' Ramen: Sushi Ken, Republic Ramen, and More Fill You Full of Noodles and Broth

82: Okonomiyaki at Hana Japanese Eatery

​Hungry yet? We're working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella's 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley -- in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister ... More >>

Bento Boxes, Beer and Cheese, Plus Homemade Ketchup in Today's Eater's Digest

souvlakiforthesoul.com​Hungry for for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives? Bento Lunch This summer, check out Sushi Roku for lunch. The swank Scottsdale sushi spot has their Bento Box lunch on special. The Bento Box features teriyaki chicken, a spicy ... More >>

Radio Cafe: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Radio Cafe602-956-6600 ​www.radiocafeaz.com/ The Hours: Happy hour is 5 p.m. till 7 p.m. daily. They are open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and till 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays for late night eats. The Details: Half off all specialty cocktails, draft beer and wine by the gl ... More >>

Chef Talk: Takeshi Hosoda of Radio Cafe

photo by Claire Lawton​"Trust Me," says the sign above Chef Takeshi Hosoda's head in Radio Cafe as he busily chops ginger for tonight's sushi orders. You can trust the sign. Hosada was raised in a suburb of Tokyo and moved to Phoenix because he needed a change of scenery ... More >>

Where Am I Eating?

​ While a friend was knee deep in a Japanese conversation lesson from the owner (he says "you're welcome" in Japanese sounds a lot like "don't touch my mustache") a chorus of edamame, yakitori, tonkatsu and gyoza demanded my undivided attention. The tiny place has been serving Japanese comfor ... More >>

Yen Sushi and Sake Bar Rocks Their Rolls

Cafe: Yen Sushi

​We weren't always into sushi, but we loved Japanese fried chicken. During a year-long stint in the land of the rising sun, we would often drive our Daihatsu Mira (think of it as a mini Mini) to this tiny sushi shop to order karaage, which this particular shop served with a tiny saucer of cru ... More >>

Watch Football Tonight, Get Sushi for a Buck

​At the start of the 2009 football season, Kabuki Japanese Restaurant in Glendale and Tempe introduced a Game Day promo where sushi slash football fans could take advantage of "buy one, get one for a dollar" sushi and drink specials while watching a Cardinals game on Kabuki's flatsc ... More >>